New hybrid buses set to roll into Ann Arbor at end of month

Seven new hybrid buses are set to hit Ann Arbor’s streets quickly yet quietly, offering service by the end of this month. The buses, known for their quieter engines, will be the latest shipment to the Ann Arbor Transportation Authority’s fleet, giving the transit authority 27 hybrid buses out of its fleet of 69. “They are being manufactured,” says Mary Stasiak, spokeswoman for AATA.The hybrid buses are built by Hayward, California-based Gillig Corp and are significantly more fuel efficient. AATA expects to buy at least 80,000 fewer gallons (10 percent) of B10 bio-diesel per year because of them. The hybrid buses also produce lower levels of pollution, making them a key component of Mayor John Hieftje’s initiative to make Ann Arbor more environmentally friendly. Recently, the city started a campaign to transition all its facilities to 30 percent renewable energy by 2010.Source: Mary Stasiak, spokeswoman for AATAWriter: Jon Zemke